[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 70 (Thursday, May 7, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         S. 386, THE FRAUD ENFORCEMENT AND RECOVERY ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 7, 2009

  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 386, the Fraud 
Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009, particularly language 
strengthening the provisions of the False Claims Act. At a time when 
the U.S. Government is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to jump 
start our faltering economy, we need to reassure the American people 
that we will have a ``zero tolerance'' approach to fraud. It is 
important that we honor taxpayer dollars as if they were our own.
  In January of this year, the House passed H. Res. 40, which I 
sponsored. This resolution, now part of the House rules, requires each 
House committee to conduct at least three hearings a year on the topic 
of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement in the agencies under the 
committee's jurisdiction. It puts in place a systematic mechanism for 
regular oversight.
  S. 386 complements and parallels the intent of H. Res. 40, with key 
provisions to bolster the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act was 
first signed into law in 1863, as President Lincoln sought to combat 
fraud against the United States during the Civil War. It allows private 
individuals to bring lawsuits on behalf of the United States, in order 
to recover funds that were wrongfully obtained through fraud. In 1986, 
the statute was amended.
  In the 20-plus years since the False Claims Act was last amended, 
however, many federal courts around the country have misinterpreted and 
weakened the statute, making it more difficult for private citizens and 
the government to expose and prosecute fraud against the United States. 
Today, as our country is in the midst of two wars and faces the worst 
economic crisis that most of us have ever lived through, fraud against 
the government is again on the rise; the time has come to strengthen 
the False Claims Act once more. S. 386 does just that.
  Mr. Speaker, the False Claims Act is the Federal Government's most 
effective tool to combat fraud. At a time when additional government 
funds are exposed to potential fraud, the American taxpayers need to be 
assured that their money is not being mismanaged.
  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and reaffirm their 
commitment to the American taxpayers.

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